"It's just ridiculous"- Max Verstappen reacts to Red Bull's Hannah Schmitz facing online abuse after 2022 F1 Dutch GP

Max Verstappen slammed Lewis Hamilton fans for insinuating theories of foul play during the 2022 F1 Dutch GP that led to his strategist Hannah Schmitz being abused online. The reigning champion felt the hatred on social media was unfathomable and unwarranted.

Speaking to on-site media ahead of the 2022 F1 Italian GP in Monza, the Dutchman said:

“I think in general it’s just ridiculous. It’s not correct and I’m happy they put that statement out, like they have with many other things as well, to address things. That’s how it should be. But at the end of the day, these things shouldn’t even happen. First of all, to think about these kinds of things is already ridiculous. Why would you even think that is possible in this sport? That individuals get hated on, is beyond me, how you can do that.”

Asserting that individuals spewing hate on social media in their F1 fanbases did not need attention, Max Verstappen expressed happiness that there were statements issued condemning the abuse against the Red Bull strategist. Conspiracy theorists had insinuated theories that Yuki Tsunoda’s stop had led to the Dutchman winning the race instead of Lewis Hamilton. Both the Briton’s fan social media handles and Alpha Tauri's team condemned the matter in a statement. The Dutch driver, however, believes that such abuse should not exist in the sport or its fanbase.

Empathizing with the Red Bull strategist and on whether he will be speaking to her, Max Verstappen said:

“Hannah is a very strong person and she knows what she’s doing. We don’t need to speak one on one for that. Also, I don’t think Hannah is here this weekend. For sure when I see her maybe I’ll mention it, but on the other hand, we shouldn’t give it too much attention because these people don’t deserve it.”

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Max Verstappen reckons social media companies need to do more to tackle online abuse

Max Verstappen believes social media platforms need to work more on tackling online abuse. The Dutchman feels the ludicrous ways in which users continue to abuse online with different accounts make it impossible to curb the remarks despite banning or blocking accounts. Urging the need to tackle online hatred and abuse, the reigning champion believes the downside of social media is extremely negative.

Suggesting the need for more solutions via social media platforms, Max Verstappen said:

“That’s the problem when you leave everything open on social media: everyone can say whatever they want. I think there needs to be a lot more addressing on hate, and it seems like these companies, they put a bit of focus on it but not enough. You can create other accounts and keep on going. If they block your IP address, you can go somewhere else. People are smart enough to get around it. Definitely they need to come up with a solution for that. Of course social media is growing and I think it’s a great tool to have, but some parts of it are quite negative.”

Although F1 launched its campaign against online abuse and hatred at the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP, it hasn’t stopped a toxic fanbase from attacking drivers, teams, personnel, and the media. Drivers and teams have been prompted to address and condemn incidents involving such remarks or online abuse immediately.